Dark, damp, and dreary – these three adjectives usually describe basements. Basements were previously seen as a separate space in the house, only used to store items that will never see the light of day again or to hold the motors and mechanisms that help the home function.

In recent years, however, the three words above have become less applicable to this part of the house as more and more people discover the potential uses of basements, especially in expanding one’s living space.

Basements have long been connected to and considered part of the other areas in the home in some areas of the country.

For homes with functional and connected basements, anything that can happen in there will have a significant impact on the safety and integrity of the whole structure.

Unfortunately, basements are very much vulnerable to moisture and flooding – two things that can lead to disaster when left to fester.

The good thing is that homeowners can do many things to deal with these issues and prevent them from happening ever again. The first step is to diagnose the cause of the problem.

Diagnosing the problem

To understand where the moisture and flood are coming from, one must first determine the ways water can be introduced into the basement. In most basement cases, water can come from these sources:

– Rain or groundwater
– Humidity from the outside that condenses inside the basement
– Interior sources (e.g., washing machines, dishwashers, humidifiers, leaks, the bathroom, and the kitchen)

Understanding where the moisture or water is coming from will help you identify the problem areas that need fixing and the measures that must be taken to prevent them from reoccurring.

Sometimes, it’s not readily apparent that your basement is already gathering excess moisture; thus, you must proactively inspect and watch out for warning signs that the area has more moisture than it should have before the problem can go out of control.

Some signs of excess moisture include the following:

– Water dripping from the ceiling or walls
– Puddles of water on the floor
– Paint blistering
– Concrete spalling
– Damp, musty odor
– Growing mold and mildew
– Excessive humidity in the air
– Condensation on the walls and floors during hot weather
– Decaying of wooden materials, including sill plates, columns, joists

Diagnosis is the first step of solving the moisture and flooding problem in your basement. With the right diagnosis, you can come up with a targeted solution and address the root cause of the issue.

Later, you can fortify your basement to keep it dry no matter the weather…
 
Continue reading the article about basements on Daisy Linden’s blog.
 
 

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